One of Mark’s earliest (and fondest) food memories is of his great-grandfather, Woodrow, opening and handing him an iced-cold glass bottle of Blenheim ginger ale during a break from trout fishing on the banks of an East Tennessee creek. That first sip – sharp and sweet with a strong peppery kick – was a flavor revelation, so he took another, and then another. From that moment on, he was hooked, and he sought out ginger in every form he could find it.

Our Almond Ginger Butter combines fresh-roasted Mission almonds with a gorgeous, golden-hued crystallized ginger from The Ginger People’s inspiring FIJI GINGER project, organic cane sugar, and sea salt. The resulting vibrant and lemony almond butter is delightful as a breakfast spread on warm waffles, a unique way to wake up your AB&J, a base for an Asian-inspired dressing, and of course, a snack right out of the jar.

Indigenous to Southeast Asia, ginger’s (Zingiber officinale) history reaches back more than 5000 years when it was used as an herbal medicine in modern-day India and China. It eventually traveled along spice routes to Ancient Rome, where it became a pantry staple known for its ability to enhance almost any dish. It continued as an obscure article of trade in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, and around the 12th Century, Arabian spice traders perfected a technique of drying and preserving ginger with coarse sugar, creating the form of crystallized ginger we know and love today. We love ginger because of its taste and texture, but it is also praised for its myriad medicinal properties, so don’t be shy with your spoon.

About the FIJI GINGER Project The Ginger People’s global search for the world’s best ginger lead them to Viti Levu, Fiji. With one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world, nutrient-rich soil and natural irrigation from tropical rainfall, Fiji produces some of the world’s purest ginger. Using sustainable practices that build – rather than deplete – soil health, their farming partners rotate their ginger crops with cassava, taro, and other annual crops to maintain the integrity and productivity of the local ecosystem. The ginger we use is cultivated by small family farms in Fiji’s Naitasiri rainforest and Pacific Harbour region. As a proud part of such a quality-focused partnership with local farmers that has also resulted in sustainable jobs at a new ginger processing facility, we are excited to offer you a taste of this exquisite Fiji ginger.